2.
Page 2 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
NC National Guard
Contact Information
Maj. Gen. Gregory A. Lusk
Adjutant General of NC
óó
Email:
ng.nc.ncarng.mbx.pao@mail.mil
NC Adjutant General –
MG Greg Lusk Maj. Gen. Greg Lusk:
http://www.facebook.com/
NCAdjutantGeneral
http://twitter.com/NCTAG
NC Assistant Adjutant General Air –
Brig. Gen. Todd Kelly:
http://facebook.com/NCAirAAG
http://twitter.com/NCAirAAG
NC Command Chief Warrant Officer
Rick Comer:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/
NC-Command-Chief-Warrant-
Officer/261726843901458
http://www.twitter.com/NCCWO
Command Senior Enlisted Leader
CSM John Swart:
http://www.facebook.com/NCCSM
http://twitter.com/NCSCSM
NC Command Chief Master Sergeant
Chief Master Sgt. Bruce Pickett:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/
NC-State-Command-Chief- Master-
Sergeant/330777956943662
http://www.twitter.com/NCCmdChief
TAG’s
Corner
May 30, 2013 was a very special and humbling day as Governor Pat McCrory
reappointed me as the Adjutant General of the North Carolina National Guard. It has,
and is, my distinct pleasure and honor to continue serving alongside the tremendous
men and women from North Carolina who selflessly serve in our ranks. As I mentioned
in my remarks, while my name may be the one that appears on the headlines, it was the
great work and the multitude of accomplishments of a talented, dedicated group of North
Carolina Citizen Soldiers and Airmen who made that day possible. Thank you all for
what you do every day to make our organization so successful. Thank you for allowing
me to serve alongside you and for your continued voluntary service in support of our Old
North State and the United States of America. I look forward to travelling across this
great state to talk with and visit the Always Ready Team of NCNG Citizen Soldiers and
Airmen.
Throughout the spring and the beginning of the 2013 hurricane season, from
Charlotte to Wilmington, I had the pleasure to meet with several North Carolina civilian
first responders and to visit NCNG Soldiers and Airmen at their facilities. I traveled
overseas to meet with U.S. military leaders to discuss ongoing and future NCNG joint
programs as well as our successful State Partnership Programs with Moldova and
Botswana. It humbles and amazes me how our NCNG Soldiers and Airmen with their
multitude of skills, knowledge, experience, and professionalism are each day supporting
NC communities, civil authorities and US objectives around the world.
Army Gen. Frank J. Grass, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, stated recently in
a letter to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “Maintaining the National Guard as an operational
force preserves the investment made in the Guard over the past 12 years of deployments
to Iraq and Afghanistan,” that is why I strongly encourage the Department of Defense
to continue to place National Guard units into operational use throughout the world
with predictable deployment rotations such as Kosovo, the Sinai, the Horn of Africa,
Guantanamo Bay, global airlift missions, train and assist missions, and special operations
deployments. Utilizing the National Guard represents efficient means to accomplish
the Nation’s security goals and objectives. The National Guard, without a doubt, has
demonstrated its readiness and capability to accomplish all assigned missions, and
furthermore, it is clear that the NCNG has proven itself to be a relevant operational
military force for our state and nation.
We continue to fulfill federal overseas mobilization orders, national civil support
requests, and regularly work with our state partner agencies, local rescue squads, and
Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Teams. The challenge, we as an organization face, is ensuring
key decision makers at the state and national level see our relevancy as well.
Due to these extraordinary and serious budgetary circumstances, the Secretary of
Defense gave official notice to begin furloughing the civilian and National Guard federal
technician workforce starting July 8, through the end of September. This means a loss
of up to 11 days or 88 hours of pay for each furloughed employee. This decision greatly
impacts our Guard families with loss of wages. I, personally, consider this an unfair
burden to place on the backs of those who are so critical to maintaining our abilities to
respond to a call to duty.
Candid discussions on important issues, such as furloughs and our organization’s
“way ahead” in these challenging times, will continue to be a hallmark of my command
team’s commitment to NCNG service members, their families, and supporters. I ask your
help in communicating our organization’s accomplishments, strong partnerships with
civilian agencies, and the importance and relevancy of the NCNG to our state and nation.
Talk with your fellow Guardsmen, your families, friends, employers, and local civilian
leaders. Educate them on the NCNG’s capabilities, accomplishments, and significance to
our state and nation.
I welcome your creative ideas and solutions to the issues facing our organization and
ways that we may continue to remain the military force of choice for the state and nation.
You may contact me and the entire NCNG command team at the links listed in the box to
the left of my article, or email me at ng.nc.ncarng.mbx.pao@mail.mil. With this unified
front and focus, I am certain that the NCNG will remain a relevant, Always Ready Team.

3.
Page 3 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
Officers Executive Council
Teri Foster, Editor
NCNGA:
Legacy Bridge Program 4
President’s Report 5
Educational Foundation Information 10
Educational Foundation Scholarship Recipients 11
NC National Guard:
Joint Training 6
NC Air Guard News 8,9
Contents:
The Tarheel Guardsman, (ISSN 10618392) is published bi-monthly for the
Army and Air National Guard of North Carolina, by the North Carolina
National GuardAssociation, 7410 Chapel Hill Road, Raleigh, NC 27607-5047.
Periodicals postage paid at Raleigh, NC 27676-9651. POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to: Tarheel Guardsman, 7410 Chapel Hill Road, Raleigh,
NC 27607-5047.
The Tarheel Guardsman is the official publication of the North Carolina
National Guard Association, a non-profit organization. The publication’s
mission is to promote the general welfare of the NCNGA, assist in increasing
the readiness of the NCArmy andAir National Guard of North Carolina and
serve as a vehicle of expression for members of the National Guard.
Members receive the publication free with their membership. The annual
subscription rate for non-members of theAssociation is $15.00. Please include
your old address when requesting change of address.
Deadline for submitted material to the Tarheel Guardsman is the 5th
of the
month, two months preceding the calendar date of issue. Manuscripts and
photographs on subjects of general interest are invited. Unless otherwise
indicated, material may be reprinted provided credit is given to the Tarheel
Guardsman and the author where listed. Articles and photos will not be
returned, unless requested. (USPS 533-640)
Advertising is accepted. For details contact the Association headquarters.
Advertising, including political ads, published in this publication does not
represent the endorsement or approval of the North Carolina National
Guard Association.
President
Bobby Lumsden
Vice President
Brent Orr
Past President
Ronnie Honeycutt
Secretary-Treasurer
Adene Tyler
Judge Advocate
Rick Fay
Chaplain
Carl Singley
30th
HBCT
Brian Alkire
Scott Schnack
130th
MEB
Robert Holland
Christopher McCurry
60th
Troop Command
Velma Evans
Dale Baker, Jr.
449th
TAB
Colby Hammonds
Thomas Underwood
113th
Sustainment BDE
Miriam Gray
Randy Ly
JFHQ-NC
Steven Johnson
Charlene Johnson
139th
Regiment (CA)
James McKee
David Eaton
Air Guard
Barbara Doncaster
Wendy Larsen
Junior Council
Timothy Stanhope
Lonnie Brooks
Associate Class
John Eudy
John Sweat, Jr.
STAFF
Executive Director
Adene Tyler
Insurance Administrator
Teri Foster
Assistant Insurance Administrator
Rhonda Arndt
Executive Assistant
Kathy Ford
NCNGA Educational Foundation
Administrator
Peggy Robinson
Address changes or questions?
Contact us at
919-851-3390
ncnga@bellsouth.net or
www.ncnga.org
Official publication of the North Carolina National Guard Association
TARHEEL GUARDSMAN
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013 Volume 47 Number 4
Deadline for submitting
articles for the OCT/NOV issue
of the Tarheel Guardsman:
4 SEPT 2013
To be announced
in the Oct/Nov issue of the
Tarheel Guardsman:
Date and Location of the
next Combined Event!!

4.
Page 4 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
Legacy Bridge Program
T
wo years ago, Active Associate
Representative Al Rose introduced a
program that is designed to financially
carry the Association through our present fiscal
transition period. As we move from a system
where we depended on our investments and
insurance premiums to pay our Association’s
expenses to one that will rely on new
revenue sources to cover our budget, the
Legacy Bridge Program will provide the
interim funds to meet budget costs until the
transition is complete. Our projection is that
this should occur within 4-5 years, and as
such it is a closed end program.
The short-term plan is to use the income
from the Legacy Bridge Program until our
new revenue sources come on-line allowing
us to insulate our investments so that they
are allowed to grow over the long-term.
At the end of 4-5 years, the new revenue
sources, along with insurance premiums, will
be our main income sources and the Legacy
Bridge Program will close.
NCNGA LEGACY BRIDGE PROGRAM
DONATION
Name:
Mailing Address:
City: State: Zip:
Phone: ( ) NCNGA Life Member: Yes No
Unit: Rank:
E-Mail Address:
$100 Donation (Donations are not tax deductible)
$25 Quarterly Installments _____ $100 Full Payment _____
_____ Check _____ Money Order _____ Master Card/Visa (Add $2 credit card fee)
Credit Card Information:
Acct #__________________________________________ Exp Date: ___________
3-digit Sec Code:__________ Signature: ____________________________________
Return Application &
Payment To:
NCNGA
ATTN: Legacy Bridge
Program
7410 Chapel Hill Road
Raleigh, NC 27607-5047
( ) I would like to make this donation in honor of ( ) in memory of ( )
Long-term, we hope to reach an investment fund goal of $3
million. At that point, even at a modest 4%, the Association could
survive indefinitely should our insurance and new revenue sources
take a hit during lean times.
Please consider joining us in the Legacy Bridge Program. And,
if you would like to remember or honor someone, please consider
making a donation in their name. Take a few minutes to fill out the
application and to write a check. Al and his team have started us in
the right direction. It is up to us now to make it happen.
Questions? Please call us at 919-851-3390.
*As of press time
*Our Newest Members of the
Legacy Bridge Program:
250. In Honor of Crew Chiefs, Present and
Past, who served the NCANG

5.
Page 5 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
I
t has been just over 70 days since my
election as President. This has certainly
been an extremely busy time, and the
phrase “drinking from a firehouse” should
that be firehose? comes to mind on the
amount of information that I am attempting
to absorb. Things have not slowed down for
the Association, and we are hard at work
solidifying the new committees and their
chairs. I ask for everyone’s patience and
understanding during this period of transition
while the new officers of the Executive
Council, Committee Chairs, and I get settled
and pick up the torch from our predecessors.
I promised that I would include a quick
note on the actions we are requesting each
of our members to take, but before I do, I
wanted to remind everyone of our goals, and
bring you up-to-date on the actions we are
taking. Below are the goals with a quick note
on the actions taken thus far:
1) Increase Membership: We have seen
some small gains in membership over the
last two months. I asked in the last issue that
every member speak to at least one Soldier,
Airmen, or Retiree and ask them to join. To
lead by example, I have done that and have
personally signed up three new members.
2) Increase participation in the Association:
We did see an increase in the number of
members willing to join a committee following
this year’s convention. However, we still
have a long way to go in getting equal
representation from each major command. I
ask each MSC Commander and Senior Non-
Commissioned Officer to speak with your
junior leaders and ask them to get involved
and volunteer for a committee next year.
3) Increase Financial Stability: Albeit
a small step, you may have noticed we
have eliminated the 800 number for the
Association. Because most phone plans (both
cell and landline) have unlimited calls within
the US, the Executive Council decided to
discontinue this service. This saves the
Association approximately $130 monthly.
We are also reviewing new avenues of
income and areas in which we can gain
greater efficiency.
4) Increase/Extend the Influence of the Association: Our
messages are getting more traction. Just this month, one of
our legislative measures reached the floor of the NC House of
Representatives. Sadly it was defeated, but this was a step in the
right direction. Last month, I asked each of you to use the NGAUS
website to write at least one letter to an elected official. Again, to
lead by example, I sent four. Also, some of you took up this charge
and we went up 10 slots on the number of letters to Congress. We
have a long way to go to get within the top 10, but we are making the
small steps now.
I told you last month our communication plan needed a
significant overhaul. I am happy to report that the Communications
Committee has taken up this charge and is making some significant
strides in improving the way we communicate with you, our
members, as well as with our elected officials. In the very near
future, you will see a new look to our website and Tarheel
Guardsman magazine. These changes and others we are considering
will greatly enhance our ability to interact and mobilize our members
so we remain on the forefront of all those who have influence on the
capability of the North Carolina National Guard.
You must be asking, “Where do you need my help the next two
months?” I ask everyone to take the following actions:
1) Continue to talk to your new Soldiers and Airmen, as well as
current Airmen and Soldiers who are not members, and encourage
them to join.
2) Contact your Federal Legislators about the importance of the
National Guard. We will soon face a time when the Departments of
the Army and Air Force will begin to suggest cuts to the National
Guard to enable them to maintain their levels. This proposal is in
direct opposition to what the Founders of our Nation envisioned. Our
country was born based on the efforts of citizen soldiers, not a large
standing army.
3) Contact your State Legislators about maintaining funding
for our Tuition Assistance Program and increasing our facility
infrastructure budget. We have a large number of aging facilities in
need of major upgrades.
If you have a question about who your Senator is or Representa-
tives are, here is a web link that will assist you: http://www.ncleg.
net/representation/WhoRepresentsMe.aspx. I would also recommend
that you review the “Take Action” page on the NGAUS website
(http://www.ngaus.org/issues-advocacy/take-action), where you will
find most of the issues that we need to take action on at the federal
level along with a tool to help you write to your elected officials.
The President’s Report
By Bobby Lumsden, NCNGA President (president.ncnga@gmail.com)

6.
Page 6 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
POPE FIELD, NC – Air Force Tech Sgt. Louis
Gyurkovics contacted Soldiers of Company
C, 1st
Battalion, 252nd
Armor Regiment (AR)
in early May with a plan for an upcoming Joint
Operational Access Exercise (JOAX) 13-03
Loadmaster Challenge at Pope Field on June 23.
It was simple enough: together load their North
Carolina National Guard M1A1 Abrams Tank
on his C17 Globemaster III aircraft.
This mission
was extremely
important for
the Air Force’s
loadmasters,
Airmen who are
experts on safely
loading cargo
aircraft.
“The
loadmasters have
been training
on loading
and dropping
various types
of equipment,
but most have never worked with a tank,” said
Gyurkovics. Both the units agreed to support
each other.
The Abrams, due to its size, poses several
issues for even a veteran loadmaster. It is tall,
long and wide, with a typical height of 8 feet, a
width of 12 feet, and a length 32 feet.
Not to mention it is one of the heaviest
pieces of Army equipment on the battlefield.
Even with just half a tank of fuel, it weighs
nearly 68 tons. That weight equals three
quarters of the payload capacity of the C17
Globemaster III.
Another loadmaster challenge is securing
this massive payload properly. The C17, while
airborne, will make turns up to three times the
force of gravity. The loadmasters secure the
tank with 45 tie-down devices ensuring that it
will not move an inch while the aircraft is in
flight and maneuvering.
After many weeks of planning and
coordination by Air Force, NCARNG and
logistics leaders, the mission was cleared to begin.
The day of the exercise, Soldiers of the
NCNG’s 1452nd
Transportation Company of
the 113th
Sustainment Brigade using a Heavy
Equipment Transporter (HET) with trailer prepared to haul the M1A1
across Fort Bragg to Pope Field. The 1452nd
Soldiers displayed their
expertise, by loading and chaining the 68 ton Abrams tank in less than 20
minutes.
Then they waited for the JOAX – Loadmaster challenge to officially
begin. They cannot arrive early since the loadmasters at Pope Field had
no idea what type of equipment they would load next.
When the M1A1 came into view, the veteran Air Force loadmasters
did not seem to be fazed one bit at the task they now had to accomplish.
They lowered the
C17 ramp and
with the rest of the
aircrew got to work
immediately.
The
loadmasters
gathered around
the M1A1with
their iPADs,
notebooks, and
pens, measuring
the tank and
plane, and asking
various questions.
The tankers from
Charlie Company watched with proud smiles, as the Airmen clambered
around their massive machine.
Once all calculations were completed, checklists checked, and
ground guides assigned, it was time to put their knowledge to the ultimate
test. Would the plane’s cargo decking hold a 129,000 lb tank? The
calculations were correct as the tank came to a rest in the aircraft with a
foot and a half space left on each side.
Soon after the engines were shutdown and master power switched
off, the Soldiers and Airmen had the opportunity to tour each other’s
“offices.” The Guardsmen learned about the C17 and the Airmen got a
rare chance to climb into and sit inside one of the greatest battle tanks
the world has ever
seen.
The load-
masters and
Guardsmen earned
positive marks
in all categories
at the conclusion
of the exercise
reinforcing their
skills in Joint
Operations,
and together,
remaining Always
Ready for any mission.
Relevant and Ready -
NC National Guard Conducts Joint Training with US Air Force
By Sgt. 1st
Class Henry Rhodes, Company C, 1-252d Armor Regiment

7.
Page 7 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
The North Carolina National Guard’s 440th
Army Band
performs at a concert at Johnston County Community College
in Smithfield, NC. The unit is composed of 34 soldiers and
has nearly 10 different types of music performance teams
ranging from traditional concert and marching bands, jazz
ensembles, brass and percussion teams to vocal ensembles and
a rock band. Their mission is to perform for troops and their
families and for the citizens of North Carolina at ceremonies,
public concerts, and parades.
440th
Army Band Brings Guard to Community
By Sgt. 1st
Class Robert Jordan, NCNG Public Affairs
Jordan L. Abbot, a 2013 graduating
senior at Croatan High School, is
the recipient of the 2-year “State
Employees Credit Union Foundation,
in partnership with the NCNGA
Education Foundaion, Scholarship.”
The scholarship is for $2,000. Hal
Gray, a member of the NC National
Guard and also a member of the
Morehead City Advisory Board,
presented the award.
NC National Guard Support Cadet Command
By Maj. Matt DeVivo, Dep. Director Public Affairs, NCNG
Throughout May
and early June,
29 Army ROTC
Cadets lived with
their Moldovan
counterparts,
visited historical
sites around
the city and
countryside,
participated in
various physical
training events,
conducted
language and
cultural training
and participated
in three different
cultural venues;
humanitarian service, host nation mil-to-mil training, and education and understanding
about the social, economic, cultural and historical aspects of Moldova.
Every year hundreds of Cadets travel the globe, spending up to three weeks
immersed in foreign cultures, learning more about how others around the world view
the US and, in the process, learning more about themselves. The Moldova program is
funded by Cadet Command and supported by NCNG State Partnership Program.
SECU/NCNGA
Scholarship Recipient

8.
Page 8 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
NC Airman Commands National Airborne Fire Fighting System
Story by Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Carver, Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
Photos by Tech. Sgt. Patricia Findley, 145th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
US Air Force
Chief Mas-
ter Sgt. Andy
Huneycutt and
Senior Master
Sgt. Gene Del-
linger, load-
masters for the
156th
Airlift
Squadron, NC
Air National
Guard, go over
the MAFFS
unit’s pre-flight
issues with Rob-
ert Onsgard,
Forest Service
Plans and Operations Coordinator, during MAFFS annual training for
certification. Chief Huneycutt is one of two survivors of MAFFS 7, the 145th
Airlift Wing C-130 Hercules aircraft that crashed while fighting forest fires
in South Dakota July 1, 2012. Huneycutt and Dellinger assist the loadmas-
ter’s ground training and monitors loadmaster flying training events.
US Air Force Col. Paul Lyman, air liaison of-
ficer JFHQ-Wyoming, Col Roger E. Williams,
Jr., commander 145th
Airlift Wing, North
Carolina Air National Guard, Brig. Gen. Todd
Kelly, NC assistant adjutant general - Air and
Col. Charles D. Davis, III, Air Expeditionary
Group commander listen to a briefing dur-
ing the start of the annual Modular Airborne
Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) training for
certification. This year’s MAFFS training is
hosted by the 153rd
Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air
National Guard, at the Cheyenne Regional
Airport, Cheyenne, WY, on May 6, 2013.
BOISE, Idaho – The national command head-
quarters for military air tanker aircraft assigned
to fight wild land forest fires activated at the
National Interagency Fire Center here June 13.
“Our first priority is protecting the lives and
property of Americans threatened by wild land
forest fires,” said Air Force Col. Charles Davis,
North Carolina Air National Guard, commander
of the Air Expeditionary Group (AEG), which
oversees the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting
System (MAFFS) mission. “Our team cuts across
local, state and federal agency lines. It’s a real
cooperative, interagency mission.”
MAFFS activated June 11 to assist in
fighting forest fires in Southern Colorado after
the US Forest Service (USFS) sent a request
for assistance to the Department of Defense
(DoD). The
US Air Force
Reserve’s 302nd
Airlift Wing,
based at Peterson
Air Force Base,
CO, responded
immediately.
MAFFS is
a self-contained
aerial fire-
fighting system
owned by the
USFS. MAFFS
modules are
loaded into the cargo bays of military C-130
aircraft. Led by small USFS planes, military
aircrews can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or
fire retardant from the MAFFS modules along
the leading edge of a forest fire in less than five
seconds covering an area a quarter of a mile long
by 100 feet wide. Once the load is discharged,
ground crews at a MAFFS tanker base can refill
the modules in less than 12 minutes.
A joint DoD and USFS program, MAFFS
provides aerial firefighting resources when
commercial and private air tankers are no longer
able to meet the needs of the Forest Service.
Four C-130 units perform the MAFFS
mission, each providing two MAFFS-capable
aircraft and the air and ground crews needed to
operate them. They are the 145th
Airlift Wing,
North Carolina Air National Guard; 146th
Airlift
Wing, California Air National Guard; 153rd
Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard; and
the 302nd
in Colorado.
Since June 11, MAFFS aircraft have made more than 70 drops on
Colorado and Arizona fires using in excess of some 190,000 gallons of fire
retardant.
On July 7, in addition to assuming overall oversight of MAFFS
operations in the southwest, the 145th
has also provided additional aircraft
to help fight a fire which has burned more than 8,000 acres in Arizona.
“We were just out in South Dakota to memorialize them at the crash
site, so to get back out in the fight is significant to us. To me personally, it
is an emotional event,” said Col. Roger Williams, 145th
commander.
The activation fell near the one year anniversary of the unit’s MAFFS
7 disaster that took the lives of four crew members and injured two.
According to Williams, executing the firefighting operations is a way to
honor their fallen comrades and to help the people of Arizona at the same
time.
A recent report showed that the deadly wildfire in that region is nearly
90% contained and should be under control within the next week.
The MAFFS operations are a valuable way our NC Guardsmen help
protect the citizens of our nation against
disaster.

9.
Page 9 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
Edgemont, SD. Lt. Gov. Matt Michels; Craig Bobzien, BH National For-
est Supervisor; Major General Greg Lusk, NC Adjutant General; Chief
Master Sgt. Andrew Huneycutt, MAFFS 7 survivor; Major General Timo-
thy Reisch, SD Adjutant General; and MIke Ortner, Chairman, Fall River
County Commission, unveil the MAFFS 7 interpretive memorial on display
near Edgemont, SD. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Brian E. Christiansen.
Edgemont, SD. Robert F. Cannon, touches a picture of his
son, Senior Master Sgt. Robbie Cannon at the MAFFS 7
interpretive memorial on display near Edgemont, SD. Photo
by Tech. Sgt. Brian E. Christiansen.
EDGEMONT, SD – A memorial ceremony
was held today to dedicate an interpretive site
that honors the airmen of the North Carolina
Air National Guard C-130 aircraft that crashed
one year ago on July 1, 2012, while fighting the
White Draw Fire near Edgemont.
Four members of the six-person Modular
Airborne Firefighting System 7 (MAFFS-7)
aircrew died when strong winds out of a
thunderstorm caused their air tanker to impact
the ground on a ridge top northeast of Edgemont.
“We are honoring these six North Carolina
Guardsmen for their heroism and we are
dedicating this site so that people will remember
them forever,” said South Dakota Lt. Gov. Matt
Michels, during the ceremony. “It is impossible
for any words to pass my lips that can express
our incredible gratitude for the sacrifices that
these men have made…but they will always be
remembered by this memorial.”
The MAFFS-7 C-130 aircraft that crashed
was from the NCANG’s145th Airlift Wing based
at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. Killed
were Lt. Col. Paul Mikeal, 42, of Mooresville;
Maj. Joseph McCormick, 36, of Belmont; Maj.
Ryan David, 35, of Boone; and Senior Master
Sgt. Robert Cannon, 50, of Charlotte. Two
survived but were seriously injured — Chief
Master Sgt. Andy Huneycutt of Lancaster and
Sgt. Josh Marlowe of Shelby.
More than 100 family members, friends and
colleagues were present for the ceremony and
to see the unveiling of the interpretive signs.
Located approximately seven miles north of
Ceremony Honors NC Guardsmen Killed Fighting Fire
Story by Maj. Anthony Deiss, South Dakota National Guard Public Affairs
Edgemont along Hwy 18, the interpretive site overlooks the ridge where the
aircraft crashed while dropping fire retardant on the White Draw Fire.
“None of them took off that day to become heroes, in fact they would
all tell us assuredly if they were here that they were simply answering a
call to duty,” said Maj. Gen. Gregory Lusk, adjutant general of the NC
National Guard. “They were simply doing the job they all love to do. As
we pay tribute to the crew – by commemorating on the anniversary this site
– we acknowledge that they join a very long line of Minutemen who have
for over 376 years done exactly what they did; just answer the call of the
neighbor in need, service to the community and service to our nation.”
“I recall that first approach by a large air tanker, the roar of the props
and turbines above the treetops…time and again, I witnessed how
well it helped ground firefighters,” Black Hills National Forest
Supervisor Craig Bobzien said of the MAFFS-7 aircrew. “Our
purpose today probes deeper. We are peering into the tiny windows
and inside the aircraft at the humans and focusing on the crew of
MAFFS-7 – protecting our freedom and protecting us from peril.
They served with honor and we are here to honor them.”
The construction of the interpretive site and signs were a
collaborative effort between the South Dakota National Guard and
Black Hills National Forest officials. The interpretive site includes
a parking area and signs that tell the story of the fire and the fatal
accident.
“The unveiling of this marker here today will assure that these
heroes will indeed live forever,” said Maj. Gen. Lusk. “To the
families of these brave men, just know that we will always
remember and acknowledge your sacrifices and your service, every
step of the way. I hope from your perspective this dedication is
indeed the legacies of your husbands, and that it is fair to say that
the citizens of North Carolina and the citizens of South Dakota will
forever share a kindred bond.”

11.
Page 11 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
RALEIGH, NC – A distress call went out
in the late afternoon hours of Friday, June
14, 2013, concerning a hiker who had been
injured in Great Smoky Mountain National
Park in Gatlinburg, TN.
The challenge; how do you extract a
subject that would take 12 hours by foot (due
to terrain) for rescue? The answer ultimately
became, by air!
North Carolina National Guard aviation
assets, in conjunction with members of
the NC Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team
(NCHART), were tasked with this search
and rescue mission in the rough and
tumble terrain of the southern region of the
Appalachian Trail.
“Everybody worked together to get the
survivor out of there,” said Army Capt.
Darrell Scoggins, a NCNG helicopter pilot
who flew the mission.
NCHART is a highly specialized team
consisting of North Carolina Army National
Guard and North Carolina State Highway
Patrol air assets matched with North
Carolina Emergency Management and local
emergency services personnel that perform
helicopter-based rescues.
According to reports, the subject,
identified as Nathan Lipsom, 53, of
Cambridge, Mass., was injured when a
large tree fell on him, breaking his ankle
and causing internal injuries on Thursday
evening.
“There were numerous trees down and
there had been reports of a tornado in the
area the night before,” said Scoggins.
According to the park spokeswoman,
Molly Schroer, the hiker was found by a
ranger during a patrol of the trail system
around Cosby and Big Creek area on Friday
morning after a tornado strike from the
previous evening.
Schroer said a National Weather Service
crew confirmed that an EF-1 tornado hit the
Cosby area during the storm, which caused
considerable damage and made it difficult to
execute a ground rescue of Lipsom.
The rangers were patrolling the area in
order to assess storm damage. Park rangers
were unable
to reach the
injured hiker
earlier in the
afternoon,
located on
the Low Gap
Trail just
south of the
Appalachian
Trail system,
due to trail
conditions from
the downed trees
in the area.
After a
conference
call between
officials from
the NCNG
and N.C.
Emergency
Management,
the decision was made to deploy a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter,
along with two NCHART technicians.
“It is a collective effort, pilots fly, crew check for clearance for the
helicopter and HART technicians plan the safest, best approach to
extract,” said Scoggins.
In the early evening hours on Friday, the NCHART technicians
were able to successfully load Lipsom on board the helicopter, using
a litter, and extract him to the nearest hospital in Asheville, N.C.
“The canopy is normally thick there and it was difficult to
insert,” said Scoggins. “We found an area near the survivor and
inserted the HART technicians there. They were able to clear an area
so we could do a pick up.”
At approximately 6:45 p.m., Lipsom was taken to Mission
Hospital in Asheville to be treated for his injuries.
This most recent rescue is the fourth successful mission since
last July of the assets from NCNG and NCHART working together.
The flight crew and NCHART technicians were praised by NC
National Guard leaders for their dedication and professionalism.
NCHART also executes missions involving swiftwater/flood
rescue, lost persons and urban/wilderness high angle rescues.
NCHART trains on a quarterly basis in these areas in order to keep
both technicians and air crews proficient.
Members of the North Carolina Helicopter and Aquatic
Rescue Team (NCHART) hold mountaintop rescue train-
ing at Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area, April 16.
Aircrew from the North Carolina National Guard and
North Carolina State Highway Patrol with North Carolina
Emergency Management personnel and local first respond-
ers from Alexander County Emergency Services, EMS, and
Rescue Squad gain valuable experience during the exercise
simulating rescues from the cliff at Rocky Face. (Photo
courtesy of Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area Public
Information Office)
NCNG Aviators, NC HART Rescue Injured Hiker
Article by Capt. Rick Scoggins, North Carolina National Guard Public Affairs
~

12.
Page 12 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
A NGAUS tradition, the annual
conference allows members to gather
and vote on the top legislative priorities
for NGAUS, share information and
celebrate the camaraderie of being
National Guard and NGAUS members.
Join us in Hawaii and network with
more than 4,000 fellow National Guard
men and women from all 50 States,
Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin
Islands and the District of Columbia.
Members and guests of the NCNG
will be staying in the Hyatt Regency
Waikiki.
• We will host a hospitality suite
in the Hyatt Regency Waikiki for
daily meetings and Hospitality
Night
• We have 30 rooms blocked at the
Hyatt at $159 (+taxes/fees)
• Registration is $200 and includes
tickets to the Governor’s
Reception, All States Dinner,
Convention Center exhibits
and events, and daily access to
refreshments at the North Carolina
National Guard’s hospitality suite.
For more information, contact MAJ
Brian McIlvaine, 1636 Gold Star Dr,
Raleigh, NC 27607 or 919-791-6419
or nc.ngaus@gmail.com. (You can
also go to www.ncnga.org and click
on Membership/NGAUS for more
links to the NGAUS website.)
135TH NGAUS GENERAL
CONFERENCE
HONOLULU, HI
20-23 SEPTEMBER 2013
NGAUS Conference
Join Us in Hawaii!
“For God and Country -
Still Serving Proudly.”
The North Carolina Department
of the American Legion
Thanks You for Your Service to
Our State and Nation!
We invite you to visit any of our 334
Posts, statewide, visit our website
www.nclegion.org,
email us at nclegion@nc.rr.com,
or call 919-832-7506.
Fly-Fight-Win!
Congratulations to the 145th
Civil Engineering Squadron, Readiness &
Emergency Management Flight, North Carolina Air National Guard
for winning the 2012 Colonel Frederick J. Riemer Award. US Air
Force Chief Master Sgt. Dan Eakman, ANG Civil Engineer Career
Field Manager and Air Force Col. Peter “Puck” Sartori, Director of
Logistics, Installations and Mission Support from the Air National
Guard headquarters, District of Columbia, pose with military and
civilian members of the 145th
Civil engineering Squadron after they were
presented with the Society of America Military Engineers Curtain Award
for Air Force Outstanding Unit of the Year, the Col. Fredrick J. Riemer
Award, for ANG Outstanding Readiness & Emergency Management
Flight and Col. William L. Deneke Award for Outstanding Unit of the
Year Award. These annual awards recognize the best CE squadron from
all Air Reserve components in the United States that best demonstrates
exemplary performance in support of the engineer readiness mission. The
ceremony was held on May 16, 2013, at the North Carolina Air National
Guard base in Charlotte, NC. (US Air National Guard photo by Tech.
Sgt. Patricia Findley/Released)

14.
Page 14 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
The NCO inductees, including 18 514th Military Police Company Soldiers, stand with their NCO sponsors
under the NCO arch after the NCO induction ceremony at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, April 12, 2013.
Before Soldiers are officially inducted into the NCO Corps, they must affirm their commitment by stating
the NCO oath which states they “will fulfill my greatest obligation as a leader and thereby confirm my
status as a non-commissioned officer.” (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gerard Capstaff)
NEW LONDON, NC – Lt. Col. Timothy Moran, Deputy Commander,
145th
Engineer Squadron swaps construction helmets with
Master Warrant Officer Martin Cloutier, Royal Air Force 3 Wing
Construction Engineers Canadian Forces from Bagotville, Quebec.
Cloutier is one of 26 engineers that participated in a two-week
Deployment for Training Program, an exchange agreement between
the Royal Canadian Air Force and the United States Air National
Guard hosted by 145th
Civil Engineering Squadron at the North
Carolina Air National Guard Regional Training Site in New London,
NC. (National Guard Photo by Tech. Sgt. Patricia Findley, 145th
Public Affairs)
As a member of the NCNGA,
you are entitled to discounts from
many businesses, nationwide and
statewide. Listed below is a new
discount being offered to our
members. If you would like a
complete listing, please contact
Kathy Ford at 1-919-851-3390,
ext. 2.
Carm’s Cafe — FREE drink
with the purchase of an entree
to those with a valid Military
ID. Located in Concord, NC
at 42 Union Street, South.
(Veteran Owned!)
Did You Know...
Check out our website
(www.ncnga.org)
for more discounts,
insurance information,
scholarship applications, etc.

15.
Page 15 – Tarheel Guardsman — August/September 2013
Women have played key
roles in military service
since our nation’s inception,
from helping with personnel
shortages at home, to tending
to battlefield wounded, to
serving side by side in combat.
As of September 2012, the
Department of Veteran Affairs
reports that there are over
2,248,579 female Veterans in
the US and over 87,840 Veteran women live in North Carolina.
Vet Centers understand that many Veteran women face distinct
challenges throughout their service and can be confronted with
difficulties transitioning. We recognize that each Veteran is unique and
our staff strives to meet each Veteran’s needs.
Many Vet Center counselors are Veterans themselves. We
understand and appreciate Veterans’ war experiences while assisting
them and their family members toward a successful post-war adjustment
in or near their community. The women and men who staff Vet Centers
pride themselves on experience, education, cultural awareness and
sensitivity.
Vet Centers offer a wide range of services to help female
Veterans make a successful transition from military to civilian life.
Our counselors are knowledgeable about treatments for the after-
effects of trauma, both combat and military sexual trauma (MST). We
offer individual counseling, workshops, groups and evidence based
treatments for PTSD.
At the Raleigh Vet Center we also offer a group specifically
designed for Veteran women; the Veteran Women’s Support and
Processing Group. This group helps women address interpersonal issues
related to readjustment. Veteran women can discuss issues such as
loss, hurt, anxiety, depression, family concerns, health issues as well
as issues that pertain directly to PTSD, combat and MST. This group
is lead and attended by Veteran women, and is open to all females
who meet eligibility. If you or someone you know would like more
information on the Vet Center Program, please contact us.
V
E
T
E
R
A
N
Vet Centers offer readjustment counseling
to Combat Veterans, MST Veterans, and
their families.
Raleigh Vet Center
1649 Old Louisburg Road
Raleigh, N.C. 27603
(919) 856-4616
www.vetcenter.va.gov
All our services are free of charge;
thank you for your service to our country.
Serving Women Who
Have Served Our Country
By Gillian Holt, NCC,
LPCA, Readjustment
Counselor, Veteran
William C. Pressley
Lake Wylie, SC
5 May 2013
Ronald A. Phillips
Clyde, NC
6 May 2013
Tremaine Ray Johnson
Tarboro, NC
27 May 2013
Jason G. Jester
HHC 113th
SUS BDE
29 May 2013
James R. “Pete” Peterson
Raleigh, NC
June 2013
Charles A. Young
Det 11 NCARNG RRB
Ellenboro, NC
10 June 2013
James Prince
Son of Levi Bellamy
Supply, NC
11 June 2013
Ernest Keith Nelon
Old Fort, NC
13 June 2013
Roy B. Asbell
Elm City, NC
13 June 2013
Deborah L. Ward
Spouse of Michael L. Ward
Rogersville, TN
14 June 2013
Donald M. Barnes
Kenly, NC
16 June 2013
Daryl B. Green
Durham, NC
16 June 2013
Angela Hart
Spouse of David Hart
Morganton NC
18 June 2013
David M. Chu
Co A 1-130th
ARB
Franklinton, NC
22 June 2013
In Memoriam